Mechanism for feeding sheet materials



- Marylin 192s.

v 1 1,529,672 G. w. SMITH MECHANISM FOR FEEDING SHEET MATERIALSFIGIFiied ov. 11,1922 s sheets-sheet 1 l1 53 1 jo 32 l l1 ll||| l' ll152 Z7" l l' "#L rS--L-------Jrn-A Z7 0 J I 2 19 l l; 1 i Z V ZZ wi 40 2QZ5 M Y l 5-Z' 1 55' 55 9 3,9 "33 552 FIGI.

WITNESSES: `INVENTOR- March 17, 1925.' 1,529,672 G, w. SMITH H MECHANISMFOR FEEDING SHEET MATERIALS l C) 3 INVENToR.-

ya www, 6 BY ZWTTORNEYS.

March 174, 1925- y G. w.'sM|TH "MECHANISM Fon FEEDING Sfinx-MATERIALSFiled Nor. 11, 1922 s sheets-sheet s F--I v mail@ IN VEN TOR:

Henry@ 5mi/714 BY 1 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 17, 1925.

GEORGE w. SMITH, or.1?HILADELPHIA,y PENNSYLVANIA."

v MncHANIsivr ron rEEDINe SHEET MA'rERiALs.,

Applicatign md November K11', i922; l seriali 119.600,244.' p, I

vTo all whom t mayconcern:

Be it known `that I, GEORGE W. SMITH, a citizen of the. United States, Iresiding at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain newy and useful Improvements 'inMechanism for Feeding Sheet Materials, whereof the following is aspecification,

reference being had to the accompanying` drawings. i t t Myfinventionrelates generally to mechanism for :teeding'sheet materials, andmoreespecially to a 'type useful iny association with machinery `formanufacturingpaper' products where one sheet is to be joined to anotherin superposed relation vby use of al suitable adhesive. Amongst theobjects of my invention are to provide sheet feeding means .which arepositive in action, capable of controlling individual release, and ofassuring firm adherence to the'` surface upon which the sheets are'to beapplied. t i

As will be apparent from subsequent dis-y closure, my inventionmay beemployed to advantage in connection with envelop machines in applyingtransparent paper patches over address or Iwindow Vopeningsy intheenvelop blanks, and with special ad` vantages with the type ofenvelop machine shown and described in'Patent No. 1,234,- 501 granted meunder date of July24p, 1917,

In this'machi'ne, the lowermost Vpatchesof al stack maintained in amagazine'are successively deposited upon the envelopl blanksv throughmovement .of the magazine' toward the table upon which the *blanksl are'sup..

ported. In thel course of this action, the stack was free to moveupwardly `.in the magazine and the weight of the stack relied upon topress the nethermost patches into contact with the gummed marginsof theapertures in the blanks. However as the stack became depleted, it veryoften hap- `pened that its weight was inadequate to press thenetliermost patch into elfective contactwith the adhesive and did notresult in isolation of said patch upon retraction of the magazine. Onthe other hand, if the stack was too heavy, the excess pressure up'- onthe? nethermost patch opposed with-k drawal ofthe latter from behind theretaining lingers which underlap the ends otthe v patches to normallyhold them 1n the maga-7 zine. Furthermore, diiiiculty has'been eX-perienced in effecting firm adherence of the ends of thev patches to.insure'coruplete 010g., i

ure of; the'window aperturesA owing to 'the' restraining effect of the`retaining fingers during theirQdoiing` f f i i lBy my invention,-Ireadily overcome thev various ditculties above pointed out, and

this end .is` accomplished -,through means lwhich server `toy support'the transparent patches in suspensloniand separation in the magazine sothat theweight of ,the stack is Y distributed in `such a' way asto4relieve pressure upon fthe nethermost patch when the latter is beingwithdrawn, 's'aidmeans being also? capable of permitting, normally, freej gravitational progression of the patches" in I the magazine although'acting to` check reteA rogressive ,movement of the st-ack fd'ur'ingapplication ot the patches to the envelop blanksfsothat Athis ac-tion'isaccomplished with l absolutepositiveness through pressure thus induced.

Other objects and attendant advantages otmyy invention will become.readily 'appare entfrom they detailed description which follows of onepractical application.` thereof which I have chosenforconvenience of eX-emplilication; while its scope will be "maniffest from the appendedclaims.`

In thedrawingsFi'g.' I is a cross view of a portion of v'an envelop"machinek conveniently illustrating-the partsy y.essential` to theunderstanding ,ofmy invention, and-` sectionalv showing the' sheetfeeding means, in this instance the patch inagazine, in its elevatedvposition ready todescend in the act of ap-k plying a patch toV anenvelopblank,arrested upon thef supporting. surtacejor `table of themachine. Fig. II is a planl sectionalview taken as indicated by thearrows II-II in Fig. I, l

ing'the patch magazine in its lowered posie` tion inthe yact of applyinga patch.' y t Fig. IV is a fraginenta-ry plan view show.- f ing thedetails yo'ta pressure plate whichcoff 9,5 V` Fig. III is a viewsiinilartoFig. I show@A A v.

operates with "the patch feeding means `dur-.`

ing patch application.

Fig. V is al detail sectional view taken. asA

indicated by the'arrows in'y Figs. II and III. U i

envelop blanks after thek transparent patch 1 i has beenl 'applied andprevious to'olding.

F igs'.''VII,`` VIII, andIX show envelopes with windows in dile-rentlocations illustra- Fig. VIfi's an illustration of one of the figures.

Referring to Figs. I to V inclusive, 1 indicates comprehensively, asupporting surface or table over `whichl envelop blanks B are,progressed longitudinally, in the direction shown `by the arrowin Fig.II, throughthefmediumof slides 2 which are yguided in grooves '3adjacent opposite side edges of said table. The 'sidesv 2. have fing-ersor velipse which overhang lvand engagethe Lend flaps E of the envelop'blanks.v .By the means just described, the blanks Bl are progressed'until they encounter stop -pins 5 i'vhich project through. suitableopenings in the topfsurfa'ce Vof the table 1. ,l By refers ence fto F Vit 'will be observed that these pins 5 are carried in the ends of arms 6which are ,fixedupon'a roclrshaft 7 journalledfbevl neaththe table. KA:Thepins 5 are arranged to be retracted through downwardmovement of thearms r@induced byV engagement of a cainprojeetion 8 on a slidebar 9with' a roller arm 10 also secured'o'n shaft7. Said bar 9 is guided forreciprocation in`V a 'retain ling slot extending longitudinally. "of thetable 1. In practice, means areprovided for reciprocating the slidebiar'f) in' proper timed relation with t-hefother movable 'parts of themachine, but since suoli means do" not form a part of the presentinvention, illustration thereof has"been'omittedffrom the drawings'. A"spring '11"coile`d* about"the rock shaft T functions to maintain`the'rol1ler of arm"18 at all times in" yoperativecontact "with: the'slide bar 9. -The-operation of them'echanijsin just described isvk soordered' that the pin's a'r'e retracted-*after*theepatch has beenvapplied V.to

an envelop blank B jto, permit" Afurther 'pr'o gression" of the-flatterto'a station"'(not' shown) of the'n'rachine' where the' folding'isaccomplisheditol form' the envelopes" f Suitably vmounted forreciprocation perpendicularly toward and away. from the table inapplying'tran'sparent `patches to the envelop blanksBtemporarily'arrestedon the supporting surfacejoritable'l as herein-Vbeforei-notechi's a means `which includesa' magazine 15 fcomprising` a"frame 16 with vertical side memberslt` spaced so as to ac-.

commoda-tela sta'ckof vvtransparent patches P between them.v To thevertical"members'17w of this frame 16 are secured'posts'-18fhav ing'laterali' threaded 'stud'I extensions '19 which pass throughsuitableopeningsin' the "members 16 to permit adjustmentf'Suchadjustment may-befixed clamp nuts "20 provided-for the purpose: ETheposts'18'have formed in them',xav successionofnotches 21` configuredsoas to' afford abrupt, 'down-v normally tend to retain the patches l?in the magazine. Displacementfof the patches in lthe magazine preventedby the engagevment of thepos'ts18"Within, and with the edges of roundedrecesses R at opposite sides of saiclpatchesi""By reason of thecharacteristic conguration of the notches 21 in the posts 18, i-t'willbe readily apparent that gravitational progression of the patches l l?may readily tagleplace, while on the other hand, any retractivevvmovement off'the patches P willv be l-immediately resisted through theaction of the shf` ulders` upon tliepa'tchesl Furthermore, it4 will bebf servedfthat the describedfconfiguration of the Avposts v18 issuch"that thepatchesfllfare sustainedin separation through subdivisionthereof into groups sndicat'ed bythe .occasional heavier'ilinesin*Fig?By 'supporting the pat'ehes'in this way,l theweight ofthe staek is'distributed 'andtherefore does not l"tend tdprevent `the*withdrawalf'ofthe netl'iermostl-pa'gtch from lbchindthe fingers 23 in' the; -coursefof'the' application 'of the tothe-'envelop blank.' 1

"Coordinated'fwiththe patch magazine 15l is a `stripper"25whichv isgenerally loval in configuration, as best shown' in Fig.' Il I andprovided'fwithf'fa 'rectangular' opening Lof ample dimensions" forpermitting traverse ofthe patchles't'lg' rllhe stripper f25 iissilpip'orted at 'opposite ends'` by rods 26'fwhicl`i;

lili) a'reivsiidabieiwiunn bosses 27 @ffm-enfans herence 'df the sainet'o the guur about tliev4 l opening inithe envelop"blanl `Forthe purposeofijadapting the machine to applying patclres-'Pjivlren lthew'indoiv'openingsare' disposed in -diiferent'locatins y ink tlieenvelopes," tlremagazinef'Tis "secured with provisions "for adjustment both flater?ally" and longitudinally *with7 respectI to l the tablev 1, to the`-rodi-5.0 by which itisjsuspendf ed'fronr'its actuating means, notshown? The devicesto this"en`d, in'clude' a iitting 31, withlongitudinally vextending slots 32', at# tached to' thelowery j end lof"the ro'de'fSOf'and clampedv in""adju ste dH positions,i said boltsfpassing through 'a slotBll (at right ,angles to those first mentioned)in the horizontal posts 18. This is elfected by bringing the'. lowerends of said posts 18 below the levell of the top surface of the table1, thev latter being for this reasonl provided witha recess 35, and byarresting the blank in the intervals between the posts through `aid ofplates 36, see Fig. V. Incidentally to this action, the lowermostshoulders of the posts 18 become effective in exerting pressure upon thelower group of patches so' that the ends of the patches are flexeddownwardly about the edges of the plates 36, this pressure beingtransmittedv in turn to the envelop blank thus resulting in` intimateContact of the nethermost patch with the adhesive gum on the blank. nThe plates 36y referred to constitute 'in effect, flanking endelongations of a broader section 37 of what, for convenience, I'willterm comprehensively, a pressure plate. This group of elements is bodilyadjustable laterally' of the table l within the transversely extendingrecess so that it may be positioned in correspondence with the patch.magazine 15 when the f machine is set for accommodation of blanks withdifferently allocated window apertures. In order that such adjustmentsof the constitnent elements of the pressure plate may be fixed, clamp'bolts 38 are provided, these being engaged within yundercut transversegrooves 39 vof the table 1. The prolongations 236 may be adjustedindependently of the main section 37 so as to underlie the ends of thewindow openings in the blanks (also the superimposed patches) inaccordance with the setting of the machine as already understood. Thisadjustment is made possible through vaid of holder plates 40 whose sideedges, like those of the main section 37are beveled to overlap thecorreobstructed surface is afforded for traverse` of the envelop blanksB.

As an alternative, I may provide in place of the composite pressureplate hereinbefore described, a set of interchangeable plates with theprolongations 36 integral with the main section as" shown in Figs.

and XI. By properinterchange of such integral plates or proper'adjustment ofthe composite plate in correspondence with `adjustmentsof'the patch'feed, uit'will. be at once' apparentv tol anyone skilled inythisart that the machine Imaybe `adapted, for ap- 1. Mechanism of thelcharacter'described l including a supporting surfaceufor window j 4 801 aperturedfenvelop blanks, .in combination with means for applyingtransparent patches to the envelop'blanksover lthe win-- dowy apertures,and means for incidentallyl flexing the ledges ofthel patchesandcontiguous portions of the underlying blanks downwardly below thelevel of the supporting surface toinsure more intimate contact of thepatches with'adhesive gum about the window apertures. I

`2. Mechanism of the character described apertured "envelop blanks, incombination with means for lapplying transparent patches to the envelopblanks overthe window apertures, and means for incidentally. flexing theends 1 of the patches and con- 9o including a Supporting surface forwir'rdowv tiguous port-ions of' the blanks downward- `ly below the levelof the supporting surface to insure closure of apertures. v. j f

3. Mechanism of the'character described including a pressure plate forsupporting the ends of the window f window apertured envelop blanks, infeo-mf bination with means for applying patches over the apertures inthe blanks, and inincluding aV pressure 'platefor supporting windowapertured blanks, said plate having comparatively narrower prolongationsvextending beyond the ends of a main or body portion adapted to underliethe ends of the window apertures, in -combination .withmeans forapplying transparent patches over. the window apertures in the blanks,.and means forv incidentally iiexing'theends of thel patches andcontiguous portions of the underlying blankdownwardly about theprolongations of the pressure plate to insureintimate contact ofendsofthe patches with adhesive gum about the window'apertures.

including a table over which envelop lblanks are longitudinallyprogressed to a station for 5. Mechanism of the character described l y105 l strumentalities for incidentally flexing the r i dpplixait-ionoftransparent patches oven the 'Window apertures.: in; the b1anks meanspitches-to, the blanksad means being; 21d-f f instable for differ@ntallocation .ofE the Y apex.-

tures, in. the blanks., a plate ooopeiatng; withl th patch,applyingqmeansuppn which thez envelop `lblatn-ks, are temporziiilyl supported atthe patch applying station compnisng-fa section adj ustable.l lateitallyoit-he f tiable aforesaid in correspondence Withf adjustments. of` the.Apatchs applying-J means, iu :igtlalnsyelfse depression oi Ieyengfwidth;on, t-hetable so, lesto bev flush with vt'lnewlai'itelz-v and; aff?ford, an, unobstruoted, surface fon; the enf volop blanks, said; plates,alsoV comp ri'sing flanking v-end .prolonggitions A of lesseriwldths,

independently.. adjustable infr af diieotom longitudinnlly of the@tablevand adaptedv to underliey thendsof theftianspaJ-I-'ent patches;and means functioning; incidentally to the patch applying operation:in;`A flexing? the @nds of. the. Ratones and1 contiguous portions of`the,-undrly/ng.y bla-Inks downwardly over: theV edgesv of t-hepressuneplate'prolongt-io-ns and into;l theftble depress-ion? a'f'foresdi'cltoAinsulte closure; of? the ends-f. ofiI ther Window apertures-throughintimate'. Contactv with l2idihesive, gnrnf previouslj'y*appled` atthese re-

